Stocking and method of making same



Dec. 7, 1954 s. J. HADDAD 2,696,096

STOCKING AND METHOD'OF MAKING SAME Filed Oct. 20, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5ALOM/3'0 J. Hnonnu.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent STGCKJNG AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Sniomao J. Haddad, ShreWshur-y, Mass, assignor to Standard Hosiery Mills, Burlington, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application October 29, 1959, Serial No. 191,113

22 Claims. ((166-179) This invention relates to tubular knitted articles and more especially to an improved stocking structure of the type wherein the leg portion and, in some instances, the foot portion of the stocking is formed of a plurality of yarns, preferably of different colors, andso knitted as to form a plurality of adjacent areas of different yarns in which the junctures thereof extend at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the knitted fabric, these areas often being termed an Argyle pattern.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application entitled Apparatus for Knitting Designs in Tubular Fabrics and Method, Serial No. 139,996, filed January 23, 1950, and is particularly concerned with improvements in a stocking structure of the type shown and described in my Patent No. 2,522,265 of September 12. 1950.

Heretofore, in knitting stockings of the type shown in said Patent No. 2,522,265, wherein adjacent areas were knitted of two different yarns, the yarn or yarns employed in knitting a first of two adjacent areas was floated back of a second of said adjacent areas and vice versa, the yarns from both of the areas being knitted in overlapping relation simultaneously at their juncture from course to course and the number of stitches formed of the yarn employed in knitting the first area being increased or decreased and the number of stitches formed of the yarn "employed in knitting the second area being respectively decreased or increased from course to course to thus form 'a suture extending at an angle relative to the wales and courses at the juncture of the two adjacent areas.

However, in some instances, after the stockings have been laundered several times and due to handling and wearing of same, after the floats have been cut away, the ends of the yarns employed in knitting one area would tend to pull apart from the ends of the yarns employed in knitting the next adjacent area at various points along the suture thus substantially limiting the useful life of the knitted fabric.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a stocking or tubular knitted article of the type described wherein the suture formed of two different yarns at the juncture of two adjacent areas have terminal loops which are interknitted in overlapping relation. from course to course and tuck-stitches are formed at the suture from both of the yarns employed in forming said suture, these tuck-stitches being so formed as to tie the adjacent ends of the yarns together thus insuring that they will not be pulled apart in laundering or by means other than being severed.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a stocking or tubular knitted article of the type described wherein the suture formed of two different yarns at the juncture of two adjacent areas is formed of two or more yarns whose terminal loops are interknitted in overlapping relation from course to course, the first yarn employed in knitting the suture extending from the area formed thereby past but not being knitted at certa'in wales formed by the second yarn and then being interkn-itted with the second yarn to form terminal loops or stitches of both yarns in wales spaced from the wales previously formed by the first yarn, this being repeated for a predetermined number of courses and then loops being formed of those portions of the first yarn which had previously extended past the second yarn to form tuck-stitches in the form of elongated loops of the first yarn extending between one or more courses to thus tie Gil with a portion of the foot thereof broken away and showing an Argyle Diamond pattern which is one of many which may be produced embodying the features of the present invention;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are other diagrammatic side elevations of portions of stockings illustrating a few of the many types of patterns which may be produced to include the suture structure employed in knitting the stocking shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged elevation of a portion of the knitted fabric showing the suture at the juncture of two adjacent areas wherein the juncture extends at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the fabric and this area being substantially as defined by dot-dash lines indicated by an arrow 5 in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing an area defined substantially by dot-dash lines indicated by an arrow 6 in Figure 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a stocking comprising a top 10, a leg portion broadly designated at 11, a heel portion 12 and a foot portion 13, the foot portion 13 being partially broken away since the portion of the foot, not shown, is knitted in a conventional manner. Although only one side of the stocking is shown in Figure 1, it is to be understood that both sides of the stocking may have a symmetrical ornamental appearance.

Following the knitting of the top 10 of the stocking shown in Figure 1, there would first be knitted a gusset "or gusset portion or the lower half of a diamond 17 on each side of the stocking, only one of which is shown in Figure 1. While the gusset portions 17 are being knitted, the upper halves of rectilinear portions or diamonds 18 and 19 would be knitted, these portions being knitted of a different yarn, preferably of a different color, than the yarn employed in knitting the gussets 17.

While the lower halves of the diamonds 18 and 19 are being knitted, the upper half of a rectilinear portion or diamond 2% on each side of the stocking in Figure 1 is also being knitted, this diamond 20 also being of a different yarn than the diamonds 18 and 19. The gussets 17 and the diamonds 2d are shown as being of the same color of yarn in Figure 1 but may be of any desired color and may also differ one from the other. As the lower halves of the diamonds 20 are knitted, the upper halves of front and rear respective diamonds 22 and 23 are knitted, these diamonds 22 and 23 being shown in Figure 1 as though knitted of a different colored yarn from the diamonds 18, 19 and 20 although it is to be understood that the diamonds 22 and 23 may be knitted of the same color as the diamonds 18 and 19 if so desired.

As the lower halves of the diamonds 22 and 23 are knitted, a gusset 25, preferably of a contrasting color of yarn to that of the diamonds 22 and 23, is knitted, after which the heel and foot portions 12 and 13, respectively, if the stocking are knitted, preferably of the same color am as that of the gusset 25 appearing on each side of -he stocking as shown in Figure 1. After the heel pocket is knitted, if so desired, similar pattern portions, not shown, may be knitted into the foot or instep, these portions also preferably being knitted of a yarn in contrasting color to the yarn employed in knitting the foot portion 13 of the stocking. It is evident that the gussets 17 and 25 and the diamonds 18, 19, 22 and 23 may be knitted of many different desired contrasting colors and, for purposes of description, we will assume the diamonds 1 1 and 19 to be knitted of a blue yarn, the gussets 17, 25 and the diamond 21 being knitted of a white yarn and the iamonds 2.2 and 23 being knitted of a red yarn.

The remainder of the stocking is, of course, shown as being knitted of a white yarn and since all of the yarns employed in knitting the various parts of the stocking extend over relatively large areas, all of the yarns may be termed body yarns. All of the parts of the stockings shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 are knitted through continuous rotary knitting except the heel pocket 12,

- which is, of course, knitted through the usual widening and narrowing operations during reciprocatory knitting.

Figure 2 shows another type of pattern on a stocking, the various parts of the stocking being identical to the stocking shown in Figure 1 with the exception of the pattern appearing thereon and like reference characters will apply to the stocking shown in Figure 2 as those applying to the stocking shown in Figure 1. In the case of knitting a pattern such as that shown in Figure 2, only two colors of yarn are used and the various design portions of the stocking shown in Figure 2 will be knitted in a manner identical to the design portions of the stocking shown in Figure 1.

In the form of stocking shown in Figure 2, the same style of knitting will be carried out as in knitting the stocking shown in Figure 1 except only two yarns are used and the number of diamonds are doubled from that shown in Figure 1, that is, after the top 16 in Figure 2 is knitted, the lower halves of four diamonds or gussets 30 are knitted while the upper halves of four diamonds 31 of contrasting colored yarn to that of the gussets 30 are knitted. Then, while the lower halves of the diamonds 31 are knitted, the upper halves of diamonds 32 are knitted, and while the lower halves of the diamonds 32 are knitted, the upper halves of diamonds 33 are knitted.

While the lower halves of the diamonds 33 are knitted, the upper halves of diamonds 34 are knitted and while the lower halves of the diamonds 34 are knitted, the upper halves of gussets 37 are knitted and, following the knitting of the gussets 37, the remaining circular courses are knitted in the forming of the leg portion prior to the knitting of the heel pocket 12 of the stocking shown in Figure 2. The foot portion 13 of the stocking is then knitted in the usual manner.

Figures 3 and 4 show various zig-zag types of variegated patterns which may be knitted into the leg 11 of the respective stockings, these patterns also being knitted with continuous circular courses throughout the length of the patterned areas from the upper to the lower end thereof. The various yarns employed in forming the adjacent patterned areas, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, may be interknitted at their juncture in substantially the same manner as the juncture of the patterned areas 17 and 19 of the stocking shown in Figure 1.

Now, referring to Figure 5, there is shown the manner in which the uppermost point of a triangularlyshaped area is interknitted with the outermost points or edges of adjacent similarly shaped areas, Figure 6 being a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the manner in which the medial portion of the suture at the juncture of two adjacent rectilinear areas or triangular portions are interknitted. The showing in Figures 5 and 6 is typical of the manner in which all of the junction points of adjacent areas are interknitted but being, specifically, greatly enlarged view of the respective areas 5 and 6 defined by dot-dash lines in Figure l.

The top 10 of the stocking is knitted in the conventional manner of rotary knitting and the final course in the knitted top is indicated at 65 in Figure 57 A first course in the ornamental pattern portion 11 of the stocking is indicated at 66 in Figure 5, a few of the subsequent courses are also shown, these courses being indicated successively at 67 to 78, inclusive, in Figure 5.

For purposes of description, we will assume that a wale Wl in Figure 5 is disposed at the center of the rear of the stocking shown in Figure 1, this Wale Wl extending from the uppermost to the lowermost points of the respective diamonds 19 and 23. It is evident that the structure of the diamonds 18 and 22 and particularly the uppermost point of the diamond 18 would be knitted in a manner identical to that of the diamond 19 as shown in Figure 5. The wales extending to the left of the wale Wl in Figure 5 shall bear the reference characters WZ to Wll, inclusive, and the wales extending to the right of the wale Wl shall bear the same reference characters as those extending to the left of the wales Wl with the prime notation added.

In knitting all of the courses in the top 10 of the stocking shown in Figure 1, including the course 65 in Figure 5, stitches are formed in the conventional manner of rotary knittingv It will be noted that the stitches shown in all of the wales Wl to Wll and W2 to W10 in the final course 65 of the top 10 (Figure 5) are knitted in a conventional manner. However, upon knitting the first course 66 in the ornamental pattern portion or leg 11 of the stocking shown in Figure l, the loops in the wales W4, W6, W4 and W6 which were knitted in the course 65 will be retained on the corresponding needles and no stitches are formed in the course 66 at wales W4, W6, W4 and W6. However, the white yarn from the gussets 17 will extend past the loops in wales W4, W6, W4 and W6 which were formed in the previous course 65.

Also, in the first course 66, loops are formed of the white yarn in the wales W-5 and WS', and the white yarn extends past the wales W-4 and W-4' to be knitted in a subsequent course and floated between the wales W4 and W4. However, the second or blue yarn is knitted independently in the five adjacent wales extending from WS to W3', the blue yarn extending across the wales W4, W4, W6 and W6 in back of the corresponding loops previously formed in the course 65. Loops are formed from the blue yarn in the wales W5 and WS simultaneously with the loops formed from the white yarn in the same wales and the same course. The blue yarn is floated in opposite directions from the wales W6 and W-6 on around to the opposite side of the stocking where it is knitted in an identical manner in forming the apex of the opposite diamond.

The second course 67 is then knitted wherein loops are formed of the white yarn in all of the wales shown in Figure 5 with the exception of the wales W-Z and W2' and, in which instance, the white yarn extends past the wales WZ and W-Z' without being knitted thereinto until the course 69 is knitted.

It will be noted that in knitting the second course 67, the loops previously formed in the course 65 at wales W4, W6, W4 and W6 are pulled downwardly in Figure 5 to form terminal tuck-stitches and this causes both the first and second or the White and blue yarns which had previously extended past these wales in the course 66 to be pulled downwardly to be tucked in with the loops of course 65 in the wales W4, W6, W4 and W-6'. After the stocking is knitted, the remaining floated portions of the white and blue yarns are cut away and these terminal tuck-stitches formed at their overlapping juncture will insure that the yarns Will not be pulled out of the body of the fabric in subsequent laundering or handling operations.

It will be noted that the blue or second yarn is also knitted into the course 67 at the wale W-1 between the wales W-2 and W4 as a normal or regularly-knit stitch, the loop formed of the blue yarn in the wales W2 and WZ' in the course 66 being extended past the courses 67 and 68 to subsequently be joined to loops formed in the course 69.

The third course 68 is substantially the same as the second course 67 wherein the loops formed of the second or blue yarn in the course 67 in wales W2 and W2 are still retained on the corresponding needles. It will be noted that, since the loops of the second yarn in the first course 66 at wales WZ and WZ were formed in a course in advance of the course in WhlCh the loops of course 65 in wales W4 and W6 were tied into the loops of the second course 67, this causes the tuck-stitching to occur at points in staggered relation to each other. That is, the elongated or tuckstitch loops formed of blue yarn in the wales W2 and W- 2' of course 66 extend beyond the course 67, at which the loops in the course 65 at wales W4 and W6 are interknitted with a subsequent course, thus causing the loops formed of the first yarn in course 65 at wales W4, W6 to extend from a course, preceding the course 111 which the loops formed of the second yarn in wales WZ, W2 are interknitted (course 66), to a course knitted subsequent to said course in which the loops formed of the second yarn in wales WZ, WZ are interknitted.

It will be noted that in order to insure that the yarns Wlll not pull out of the fabric at their free ends after the floated portions thereof have been cut away, normal or regularly-knit loops of both yarns are knitted simultaneously between a pair of elongated loops, these elongated loops always being formed of the same yarn at opposed sides of the normal loops of the two yarns and extending from a previously knitted course to a subsequently knitted course relative to the courses at WhICh the normal loops are knitted.

It is to be understood that although the loops from which the tuck-stitches are formed are shown as being substantially elongated relative to the adjacent loops, the yarn from which these elongated loops is formed is borrowed from the adjacent wales in the same course with the result that the elongated loops are under a considerably greater tension at the time of the formation of the tuck-stitches than that of the adjacent normal stitches or loops and, upon the tuck-stitches being formed and the tension on these loops being released, the loops then tend to return to normal size and further assist in locking the adjacent ends of two ditferent yarns into the fabric. This will, also, overcome any possible exaggeration in the formation of the loops at the time of knitting and will not materially affect the ornamental appearance of the stocking.

It is evident that, in order to provide for the elongated loops extending from the course 70 to the course 73 at wales W-4, W-6, W-4' and W-6, it is necessary to extend the second or blue yarn substantially into the fabric knitted of the white yarn as is shown in the course 70 and whereupon the tuck-stitches are formed in the wales W-8, W40, W-8 and W-lt) in the courses 70 and 71. This produces an ornamental effeet in the fabric such as is shown in my Design Patent No. D. 160,169 of September 19, 1950.

The stitch formations in the courses 70 to 74, in clusive, extending from the wales W-4 to W-ll are identical to the stitch formations in the courses 65 to 69 and including the wale W-Z from right to left in Figure 5 to the wale W-7 and a detailed description of each course is thus deemed unnecessary.

It is evident that, of course, the number of courses past which the elongated loops extend may vary according to the number of wales that a particular area will increase in the widening from the top to the center of a diamond such as the diamond 19 shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 6, there is shown portions of a plurality of courses which are indicated successively at 82 to 93, inclusive, these courses showing the structure of The fabric shown in Figure 6 includes substantially three steps or groups of four courses at the juncture of each subsequent group of which a widening and narrowing of the adjacent knitted areas occurs, the number of loops of the first or white yarn decreasing by approximately four wales relative to a given wale at each step and the number of loops formed of the second or blue yarn increasing correspondingly by four wales in the same courses relative to said given wale.

The courses 85 to 89, inclusive, include a step in the suture, embracing a successive group of courses, and, since these courses 85 to 89 are identical to the corresponding courses 69 to 73, in Figure 5, a detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

It is thus seen that a suture is formed between two adjacent portions knitted of different yarns wherein the suture extends at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the fabric and wherein elongated loops are formed in alternate wales from the first yarn in two or more courses and then elongated loops are formed of the second yarn in two or more succeeding courses in the same wales in which the elongated loops were previously formed from the first yarn, both of the yarns being knitted simultaneously in the same wales between the elongated loops in one or more courses immediate-- 1y following one another and the elongated loops being interknitted in a subsequent course along with both of the yarns from the intervening course across which the elongated loops extend to form tuck-stitches of both yarns.

At least one of the courses in which both of the yarns are knitted simultaneously in a particular wale is spaced from the other courses in which both of the yarns are knitted simultaneously and the stitch between the'spaced courses is knitted by only one of the yarns,

this yarn being interknitted with the stitches in the succeeding and subsequent courses of both yarns. The portion of the particular course of, say, the second yarn between said spaced courses, extends a substantial number of wales into the portion of the fabric knitted by the first yarn and is then knitted simultaneously with the first yarn in a wale spaced substantially into the portion of the fabric knitted by the second yarn, from the portion of the fabric knitted by the first yarn, there being tuck-stitches formed adjacent opposed sides of each of the normal stitches, which are formed simultaneously by both yarns so as to tie the ends of both yarns into the fabric upon their floated portions, which extend inside of the fabric in opposite directions relative to each other, being cut away.

It is to be noted that the juncture of the yarn from one area with the yarn from an adjacent area is substantially the same from course to course, in that the terminal loops of adjacent yarns in each course are disposed in alternate Wales, the first yarn being knitted in overlapping relation to the second yarn in three wales with the yarn from which one knitted area is formed being floated in back of the area knitted from the other yarn and vice versa. The terminal loop of each yarn is interknitted with a loop extending from a course knitted from one of the yarns in advance of the immediately preceding course, there being loops formed simultaneously from both yarns between the aforesaid alternate wales. The latter loops are interknitted with a loop formed from said one of the yarns in the course immediately preceding the course in which said juncture is disposed. Thus, the terminal loops are formed as tuck-stitches in each course with a normal stitch from both yarns between the adjacent tuckstitches.

Throughout the appended claims, wherever the courses are defined as first, second, third etc., these definitions are to be construed according to the designation of the courses throughout the specification. However, it is to be understood that these definitions are not to be construed as limitations, since the number of courses involved in the formation of each of the tuck-stitches may vary substantially from that shown and described, the claims being drawn to conform to the terminology of the specification.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A tubular knitted article knitted in continuous circular courses and having a plurality of areas disposed in circumferential rows and whose proximate edges extend at an angle relative to the Wales and courses of the knitted fabric and whose edges are interknittedwith the edges of adjacent areas to form a suture therebetween, the adjacent areas being knitted of different yarns, the yarn of a first of the areas being floated past the yarn of a second of the areas and vice versa and the yarns being interknitted at their juncture in overlapping relation to each other, the loops formed of the yarn in the first area increasing from course to course and the loops formed of the yarn from the second area decreasing accordingly and said yarns being tied together at said suture by tuck-stitches formed from both yarns and disposed adjacent simultaneously knitted terminal loops of the yarns from adjacent areas.

2. A tubular knitted article having continuous circular courses and also having a plurality of rectilinear areas disposed in circumferential rows and whose proximate edges extend at an angle relative to both the Wales and the courses of the knitted fabric and whose edges are interknitted with the edges of adjacent rectilinear areas to form sutures therebetween, the adjacent rectilinear areas being knitted of ditferent yarns, the yarn of a first of the rectilinear areas being floated past the yarn of a second of the rectilinear areas and vice versa, the loops of the yarn from the first area increasing from course to course toward the second area, the loops formed of the yarn from the second area decreasing accordingly from course to course to produce a suture between the first and second areas, the terminal loops of the yarns from each of the first and second areas being knitted in overlapping relation to each other in each successive course, the number of loops formed of each yarn with respect to the adjacent areas being substantially the same in at least two alternate courses, the loops formed from the yarn in the first area in the course between said alternate courses extending substantially into the adjacent second area for a plural1ty of wales and being interknitted in overlapping relation with corresponding terminal loops of the yarn from the adjacent second area so the overlapping terminal loops of the yarns in the course between said alternate courses are offset substantially with respect to the terminal loops knitted in said alternate courses.

3. A tubular knitted article having a plurality of areas knitted from different yarns having at least two parallel edges and whose edges extend at an angle relative to both the wales and the courses of the knitted fabric, the yarns of two adjacent areas being interknitted in at least one Wale in each course at the edges of adjacent areas to form a suture therebetween, the yarn employed in knitting a first of the areas being floated past the yarn employed in knitting a second of the areas and vice versa, the loops formed from the yarn in the first area increasing from course to course relative to a given Wale and the loops formed from the yarn in the second area decreasing accordingly, and loops of said yarns in the suture extending over one or more courses and being interknitted in a subsequent course as tuck-stitches in certain spaced wales to anchor the ends of the yarns in the fabric at the suture.

4. A seamless knitted hose formed from a plurality of yarns knitted in a plurality of continuous circular courses, each course comprising a plurality of independent loops of a first yarn disposed in spaced areas and a plurality of independent loops of at least one second yarn between said spaced areas, the terminal loops of both the first and second yarns being interknitted and overlapping each other in each course at the junctures of adjacent areas, the number of independent loops formed from each yarn varying in successive groups of courses, the wales in which said terminal loops are disposed also varying in successive groups of courses, the terminal portions of the first and second yarns in at least two successive courses of at least one of said groups of courses being interknitted with only one of the yarns in an initial course of a subsequent group of courses to thereby form tuck-stitches of said terminal loops.

5. A seamless knitted hose having a leg portion knitted from a plurality of yarns, each of the yarns defining an area and the proximate edges of two adjacent areas extending at an angle relative to both the wales and the courses of the knitted hose, said yarns being overlapped in at least three wales in the same courses at the proximate edges of adjacent areas to form a suture of overlapping loops, the yarn from one knitted area being fioated past the knitted areas of the other yarn between its sutures and vice versa, the number of loops formed from each yarn varying at either side of a given wale in successive groups of courses regularlyknit stitches being formed in the centermost of said three wales in each course of each successive group, the terminal overlapping portions of the yarns in at least two successive courses of a given group being interknitted with the loops of at least one of the yarns in an initial course of a subsequent group of courses to form tuck-stitches adjacent opposite sides of regularly-knit stitches in said two successive courses at the suture to anchor tr e yarns in the fabric at said suture.

6. A seamless knitted hose having a leg portion knitted from a plurality of yarns, each of the yarns defining an area of normal stitches and the proximate edges of two adjacent areas extending at an angle relative to both the wales and the courses of the knitted hose, said yarns being interknitted at the proximate edges of adjacent areas to form a suture of overlapping loops, the yarn from one knitted area being floated past the knitted areas of the other yarn between its sutures and vice versa, the overlapping loops of each interknitted yarn embracing a first group of at least three wales for a plurality of courses to form a step and the overlapping loops of each interknitted yarn in an adjacent plurality of courses embracing a second group of wales spaced from the said first group of wales to form another step, the overlapping loops in the outermost wales of each group being formed as tuck-stitches, normal stitches formed from both yarns between the tuck-stitches, and the loops of the yarn in a first of the areas being increased on either side of a given wale as the loops of the yarn in a second of the areas are decreased accordingly in steps of several courses each in order to provide one or more normal stitches in walewise alinement with the tuck-stitches.

7. A method of knitting hosiery having a plurality of knitted areas of different yarns whose junctures extend at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the fabric being knitted, which includes knitting one of said areas from a first yarn, knitting the next adja cent of said areas from a second yarn while interknitting and overlapping the first and second yarns at their junctures for at least three wales and also floating the second yarn past the area knitted from the first yarn and vice versa and varying the number of loops knitted from either yarn either side of a predetermined wale to form a suture between adjacent knitted areas while forming tuck-stitches in the two outermost of said three wales during knitting of a plurality of successive courses and while forming normal stitches from both yarns in the Wale between said outermost wales.

courses formed from at least two yarns s selectively knitting either of the yarns at times independently and at other times interknitting both of the yarns in overlapping relation to each other while forming tuck-stitches from the two yarns, and varying the number of loops formed of either yarn independently in a series of successive courses to determine the pattern, whereby the interknitted yarns will tie the adjacent independent loops knitted from the two yarns together.

9. A method of knitting hosiery with areas of different yarns Whose junctures extend at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the fabric being knitted which includes knitting one of said areas from a first yarn and knitting the next adjacent of said areas from a second yarn while overlapping the first and second yarns at their uncturcs and forming tuck-stitches from both of the yarns, floating the second yarn past the area knitted from the first yarn and vice versa and varying the number of loops knitted from either yarn either side of a predetermined Wale to form a suture extending at an angle relative to both the courses and the wales of the knitted fabric between adjacent knitted areas. 10. That method of knitting a seamless stocking havmg continuous circular courses which includes forming a plurality of courses by knitting at least one first yarn at spaced areas in each course, knitting with at least one second yarn between said spaced areas so as to cause the second yarn to float past the areas knitted by the first yarn and vice versa, overlapping the first and second yarns at their juncture for a few wales in each course while forming at least one tuck-stitch from the overlapping portions of both of the yarns, and varying the number of stitches formed by each yarn from course to course.

ll. A circular knit fabric having circular rows of rectilinear areas formed of regularly-knit stitches, and the proximal edges of adjacent areas being defined by rows of tuck-stitches extending at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the fabric.

12. A circular knit fabric having at least a first and a second adjacent rectilinear area knitted from first and second respective yarns, the proximate edges of adjacent areas extending at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the fabric, the first and second yarns being tied together at the proximate edges of the respective areas by tuck-stitches formed from both yarns, the first yarn being floated past the area knitted from the second yarn and the second yarn being floated past the area knitted from the first yarn.

13. A circular knit fabric having at least a first and a second adjacent rectilinear area knitted from first and second respective yarns, the proximal edges of adjacent areas extending at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the fabric, and the first and second yarns being tied together at the proximal'edges of the respective areas by tuck-stitches formed from both yarns.

14. A tubular knitted article knitted in continuous circular courses and having a plurality of areas disposed in circumferential rows, the proximal edges of adjacent areas extending at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the knitted fabric, the adjacent areas being knitted of dificrcnt yarns, said difierent yarns being interknitted at the edges of adjacent areas to form a suture, and said yarns being tied together at said suture by tuckstitches formed from the correspondinn different yarns and disposed adjacent normal stitches knitted from the different yarns from adjacent areas.

15 A knitted hose having at least a first and a second adjacent rectilinear area knitted in continuous circular courses from first and second respective yarns, a suture formed at the juncture of adjacent areas, said suture being formed in steps wherein each step embraces a plurality of courses and a plurality of wales, said first yarn being knitted in plating relation to the second yarn in each step, but in spaced courses to form terminal loops from the first yarn spaced at least one Wale from the corresponding terminal loops of the second yarn, the first yarn being knitted in plating relation to the second yarn in the form of tuck-stitches between said spaced courses in each step and in said plurality of wales, and the number of loops formed from each of the yarns varying from step to step.

16. A tubular knitted article knitted in continuous circular courses and having a plurality of areas disposed in circumferential rows, the adjacent areas being knitted from different yarns, each yarn from all of the areas being floated past'each other area from another yarn and vice versa, the yarns from adjacent areas being interknitted at their juncture in overlapping relation to each other, the loops formed from the yarn in at least a first of said areas increasing in successive'courses and the loops formed from the yarn knitted in at least one second area immediately adjacent said first area decreasing accordingly, and the yarns from adjacent areas being tied together by tuck-stitches formed from the yarns from adjacent areas and disposed adjacent simultaneously knitted normal stitches of the yarns from adjacent areas.

17. A tubular knitted article knitted in continuous circular courses and having a plurality of areas disposed in circumferential rows and whose proximal edges extend at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the knitted fabric, the adjacent areas being knitted from difierent yarns, the yarn of a first of the areas being floated past the yarn of a second of the areas and vice versa, the yarns from adjacent areas being interknitted at their juncture in overlapping relation to each other to form a suture therebetween, the loops formed from the yarn in the first of the areas increasing relative to a given wale in successive courses and the loops formed from the yarn in the second of the areas decreasing accordingly, said yarns being tied together at said suture by pairs of closely spaced tuck-stitches formed from both yarns and the tuck-stitches of each pair being disposed astride normal stitches formed from the yarns of adjacent areas.

18. In a structure according to claim 17, said tuckstitches each embracing a plurality of courses and successive tuclostitches being disposed in wales disposed in off-set relation to those in which previous tuck-stitches are formed, and said successive tuck-stitches also extending from a course knitted in advance of the course in which said previous tuck-stitches are interknitted to a course subsequent to the course in which the previous tuck-stitches are knitted.

19. In a structure according to claim 17, at least some successively knitted tuck-stitches being formed in wales disposed in oil-set relation to the wales in which previous tuck-stitches are formed.

20. That method of tying together the adjacent edges of adjacent areas knitted from separate yarns and whose proximal edges extend at an angle relative to the wales and courses of a knitted fabric, which includes the formation of tuck-stitches from the yarns from adjacent areas while knitting successive circular courses forming said adjacent areas.

21. A method of knitting a circularly knit fabric having adjacent areas knitted from separate yarns and whose juncture-s extend at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the knitted fabric, which includes simultaneously forming tuck-stitches from said separate yarns as they are knitted in adjacent areas to tie adjacent areas together at their junctures.

22. A method of knitting hosiery having a plurality of walewise extending areas which includes successively knitting at least one of said areas from a first yarn and an immediately adjacent area from a second yarn while interknitting the terminal loops or" the first and second yarns in the form of tuck-stitches in successive courses, increasing the number of loops knitted from the first yarn in other successive courses while accordingly decreasing the number of loops knitted from the second yarn to cause the terminal loops of the first and second yarns in said other successive courses to be off-set in different wales from the terminal loops of the first and second yarns in preceding courses, floating the first yarn back of the second yarn and vice versa between the points at which the loops are interknitted to thereby form a suture extending generally at an angle relative to the wales and courses of the knitted fabric between two adjacent areas knitted from different yarns.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 668,674 Brown Feb. 26, 1901 698,499 Hirner Apr. 29, 1902 928,165 Wilson et al. July 13, 1909 1,536,946 Sutphen May 5,1925 2,042,149 Gastrich May 26, 1936 2,254,409 Allen Sept. 2, 1941 2,286,227 Ralston June 16, 1942 2,431,068 Minton Nov. 18, 1947 

